Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-30
cLAMoRlNG FOR STATEHOOD.
Dakota Seeking Admission to tn
union..Memorial t.
c ngrs IS.
Tho Aberdeen Convention Attended by
Over 800 Delcgates.-liarmo NOUS
Gathering.

The Dakota state convention, he'll
at Aberdeen December Is. was large
and harmon ols gathering. being attend d
by some 300 delegates, and 200 more wer.
represented by proxy. Soon after the
convention wa called to order the secre-
tary read the following letter from Con-
gresham William NJ. Springer:
This is the first coucerted movement on tho
part of the people OF Dakota for single stnt.-
totore organized efforts of your people nay,
been in the direction Of >ofyi ion OF tn :
territory into two parts, while lndiNidnrli
i'll certain localities and newspapers in the tc'-
ritory have opposed sn h efforts. These CON
tending factions among your own people nav
had the inevitable result o. N venting any #
question of division Of the territory is purely
ocul one concerning only the people Of Dasota.
ara equally Interested in this question. l.
is not more question to be left to
the people Of the territory than would he
the question OF dividing the state of Florida
Tho average population of the states OF the
union is 1,400,OO0. Dakota does not claim to
have population exceeding GGo0O, hence ut
present, on the ground Of populations, there is
no well founded reason for her Insisting upon
the formation of two 81 ates out of her present
territory, or for giving the people within her
and New York with &. 600, 600 people, have but
two senators each Those who are claiming
greater power for the Territory than any state
In the union has under section g. articl ,
4, Of the constitution. Those who ure
Welded to to the aes Of diyng may well
assure Them from my knowledge of public SEN
timent here that tho division of Dakota at this
time and the erection of two states within her
borders, is utterly impossible. have earnestly
desired and still desire the admission of Dakota
as one state, but have opposed and will continue
to oppose her d dish have filth in
her place very soon in the galaxy of states as
one OF the greatest and most prosperous in the
work of the convention, and trust Nlat it's lnbors
will result i'll the early admission of Dakota as II
state in the Union.
(SigleD WIN. NJ. SPRINGER.
The following memorial was adopted:
To the congress Of the United States: The
people of Dakota, assembled in delegate con-
vention, respectfully represent that they arc
dcsirous of the admission of the Territory us Il
tate into the federal union. We possess sutii-
Gent population to entitle US o representation
| in of admission. We earnestly petit ion
| the passage of an net authorizing the election
| OF delegates to II constitutional convention, to
| tho end thnt the constitution SO framed ma he
! submitted to Il vote Of the people for rntiGca-
| ton n the next general election. Submitted
| herewith are statistics showing the population
| of Dakota by counties; also statistics showing
| the present development of the Territory, to
| which we invite your attention, and pray for
i favorable consideration.
! Besides the delegates selected to present
tn, memorial 10 congress and remain ia
Washington this winter are: Two Yet
unnamed from Grand Forks; Messrs.
Bennett and Mccarthy, of the Black
Hills; sheafe, of Water'own; johnson
and Mccoy, of Aberdeen; Purcell, of
Wahpeton; Jewel, Of Bismarck; Kenne,
Of Jamestown; Greene, of L .rgo; Wright
and Van Epps, of Sioux Fails. A motion
was adopted to have 10000 copies of the
memorial printed and distributed. for
reading and SHINING by Dakota at large.
The delegates to Washington number
fifteen and are as follows.
| L. G. Johnson, 9. large, of Brown NJ t. Nc
| Cormack of Grand Forks w. L. Dodge. Fargo
district; Hon Granville f. Bennett. c. b. Nc
Cnrthy, Pennington Ex-Gov. J hn l.. Penning-
ton, of Ynnkton Robert II. McEi Idle of Duvi .on
Anthony. Garnett, Penbina; C. II. Winson,
Minnehnha; L. A. Gale. Lincoln; c. T. Mccoy
Brown ; j. A. Lee, Dny; Col. VIM. Thompson
Burleigh; j. A. Frye Stutsman.
Alb rdeen is confident OF the early adj
mission Of the Territory and thnt it will be
| the capital city,